PARENTS IN THE DARK? 1 IN 8 TEENS TURN TO AI FOR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT

Sat 07 March 2026:3

A new Pew Research Center study shows 64% of US teens use AI chatbots, mainly for information (57%) and schoolwork (54%). However, 12% seek emotional advice from AI. Parents are more cautious, with only 18% comfortable with emotional use. Experts warn of isolation risks.

Artificial intelligence is becoming part of daily life for American teenagers. A new study by Pew Research Center shows that many teens now use AI tools not only for schoolwork but also for conversation and emotional advice.

According to the report published Tuesday, 64 per cent of US teens say they use AI chatbots in some form. However, only 51 per cent of parents believe their children use these tools, showing a gap between teen usage and parental awareness.

How are teens using AI chatbots? Photograph: (Pew Research Center)

How are teens using AI chatbots?

The Pew survey highlights that the most common uses of AI among teens are practical.

57 per cent use AI to search for information

54 per cent use it to get help with schoolwork

16 per cent use AI for casual conversation

12 per cent use AI for emotional support or advice

This means roughly 1 in 8 teenagers in the United States turn to AI chatbots for personal or emotional discussions.

General-purpose chatbots such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Grok were not designed as mental health tools, but some teens are using them in that way.

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Mental health experts raise concerns

While some teenagers may feel comfortable speaking to chatbots, mental health experts have warned about possible risks.

Dr Nick Haber, a Stanford professor who studies the therapeutic potential of large language models, recently told to media that these systems can sometimes be isolating.

“We are social creatures,” he said, warning that over-reliance on AI tools could reduce real-world connections. He added that in some cases, people may become less grounded in facts or interpersonal relationships.

The debate over AI safety has grown in recent years. One chatbot company, Character.AI, disabled chatbot access for users under 18 following public criticism and lawsuits related to teen suicides after prolonged chatbot conversations.

Meanwhile, OpenAI decided to retire its GPT-4o model after backlash from users who relied on it heavily for emotional interaction.

Parents more cautious than teens

The Pew study also found that parents are far more cautious than teenagers when it comes to emotional uses of AI.

79 per cent of parents are comfortable with teens using AI to search for information

58 per cent support its use for schoolwork

Only 28 per cent approve of casual conversations with AI

Just 18 per cent are okay with teens seeking emotional advice from chatbots

58 per cent say they are not comfortable with such uses at all

This shows clear concern among parents about the emotional role AI could play in their children’s lives.

Mixed views on AI’s future impact

Despite widespread use, teens are divided about AI’s long-term impact on society.

When asked how AI would affect society over the next 20 years:

31 per cent said the impact would be positive

26 per cent said it would be negative

The remaining respondents expected a mix of outcomes or were unsure.

The findings suggest that while AI tools are now part of teenage life, questions remain about safety, regulation and emotional wellbeing.

As AI chatbots become more advanced and more widely available, families, schools and policymakers may need to consider how these tools are used especially when they move beyond homework and into personal conversations.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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